Our Board of Trustees

Duncan Finlayson (Chair)
Duncan has spent most of his working life teaching. He did his training in Dundee, and then went on to teach for nine years in Edinburgh, initially as a classroom teacher before switching to the role of Support for Learning. He then took a six year career break from teaching, working for The Iona Community as manager of their shop on the Island of Iona. This was a job-share with his wife while they brought up their two children. He then returned to the world of education, once again as a Support Teacher, first working in Fife and then moving to Orkney where he spent fifteen very happy years. He retired from teaching in 2008, and shortly afterwards moved south to the village of Edderton, on the shores of the Dornoch Firth, to be nearer family and friends. In his retirement, he has taken on the Directorship of two charities, and also volunteer as an Adult Literacies Tutor

Marion MacNeil

Throughout a total of twelve years working with Connecting Carers she signposted and referred families of children/young people with additional support needs to staff at CHIP thus developing partnership work to achieve a shared aim in supporting unpaid carers and their families. Marion is delighted to be able to continue working to achieve this aim as a director of CHIP, a role she took up (for the second time) in 2014.Marion’s interest in delivering information and support for families affected by disability began while working at Inverness Citizens Advice Bureau in the early 1990s. Since then she has worked for condition-specific organisations such as Scottish Huntington’s Association and Multiple Sclerosis Society and now works for Arthritis Care Scotland as Service Manager for Staying Connected in Nairnshire.

Gillian Newman

Gillian Newman, Highland Children's Forum’s first Children’s Consultation Worker, is returning to the Forum as Policy Lead. She brings a wealth of experience, commitment and learning to the role. In other parts of her working life Gillian has been a nurse, led Cromarty Action for Young People, been a lecturer on the Child Development Course at Inverness College, been a freelance consultation and participation worker and undertaken an Autism Mapping project for the National Autism Society. Gillian was the Third Sector Lead on the team in Highland that developed the application of the Getting It Right For Every Child process and undertook many of the Forum’s key consultations with children and young people across Highland.

Andrew Stevenson
Andrew trained as a Social Worker in Edinburgh and was fortunate to be involved in the early stages of developing Care in the Community in Fife. His working life has revolved around Child Health, with 15 years helping establish the Child and Mental Health Service based at Raigmore Hospital. He then became part of the multi-disciplinary team at the Birnie Centre where he first encountered the work of CHIP in the late 1990’s.
Andrew’s final post was as Manager of The Orchard, the Highland Council service offering residential short breaks, day care and outreach support to families around the Highlands who are caring for children and young people affected by complex health needs and learning disabilities. Since retiring, he has continued to find fulfilment through active involvement with the Crocus Child Bereavement Support Group, as well as playing the church organ and promoting classical music in and around Inverness.

The next Pines drop-in is on Thursday, 1st November from 10am until 12.30pm. The subject is Information Session “Supporting Pre-verbal Communication” with Shona MacPherson (Speech & Language Therapy).
Parents/Carers no need to book! Professionals please book by em... Full Story...

The Social Security (Scotland) Act requires the Scottish Government to make advocacy support available to people with a disability who need help with the Scottish social security system.They must also set out independent standards for services providing this social security advocacy suppo... Full Story...

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